Chapter 1: The Cute Bandit
It was dusk within a thick, dark forest as a squat, hairy bandit chief, wearing an eyepatch, sat on his makeshift throne in front of a blazing fire. He and his men were enjoying some downtime after having raided one of the nearby towns. They had plenty of meat and mead that night, and a tidy little chest of treasure looted, which the chief rested his feet upon.
"Another fine haul," The chief said as he tapped the chest with his heel and took a swig of mead. "Should last us until those townies get themselves resupplied."
"Boss, maybe we should lay low for a bit," One of his men chimed in by his side. "We get too notorious, the kingdom might actually do something."
"Bah, this close to the frontier borders?" The chief scoffed and tossed his empty drink aside. "They ain't gonna bother…"
THWUMP
"Huh?"
The chief's head snapped to the side to see the body of a fellow bandit fall to the ground in front of him.
"I think you should listen to him…," said a voice. The bandit chief's looked up from the unconscious body to a figure standing beside it, silhouetted by the bonfire. In each hand gleamed ornate axes that looked to be made of some kind of steel and brass, handles covered in finely woven leather strands, with the heads of roaring lions on the back of the blades and red gems at the end of each handle. "You and your boys went a little too far this time."
The figure took a step forward to reveal itself. It was a young man clad in dark blue-green linens and light brown leather armor covering his shoulders down to his hands and leather boots with knee pads.
The armor was adorned with white fur trim around the collar, and wide, pointed bronze studs on the shoulders, elbows, and knee pads. He wore a thick leather belt with a big circular bronze buckle upon which hung pouches and axe holsters at each hip.
The intruder had a head of spiky, wild, dark blond hair with gold highlights and long sideburns down to his chin, across which was a scar. Around his neck hung a long white fang on a leather cord. He had piercing aqua-blue eyes with which he stared coldly at the bandits. The chief glared back with his one eye.
"And who the Hell are you!?" Barked the chief's lackey as he drew a short sword. "Intruder!" The bandit charged at the young man, but before he could land a blow, there was a flash of blades and a spark of magic.
The chief's eye went wide as his minion fell to the ground. The intruder brandished his axes, the patterns on the blades and the gems in the handles glowing red. The bandit writhed in pain from a searing, burning sensation, but felt no blood. The wound on his back had been cauterized as though from fire.
"My name's Leodin." Answered the intruder as he walked up to the chief. The chief stood and drew his own sword with a growl.
"I'll remember to chisel it on your gravestone!" The leader charged at him and swung, but Leodin casually caught the blade between the beards of his axes, twisted, and snapped the sword.
The chief gasped before Leodin kicked him in the belly, knocking him to the ground. He groaned as he felt Leodin step on his chest and pin him down. Leodin lifted the bandit chief's eyepatch up with the tip of his axe blade to reveal…a perfectly good eye. Leodin frowned in bemusement.
"Really?"
"It's uh… for intimidation…"
"Whatever. I heard there was a one-eyed bandit leader in these parts causing trouble. You're not exactly who I'm looking for, but I'll get rid of you just the same…"
"I wouldn't be much of a war chief without my crew…" The bandit leader grinned. In mere moments, the rest of the bandits had surrounded them, drawing their weapons. Leodin scanned the area, stepped away from the brigands' leader, and raised his weapons.
"Okay, about a dozen and a half…" He said as he readied himself. "Shouldn't take long…"
"Dumb kid. Thinks he can take out all of us…"
Leodin scoffed. "I know I can…"
One of the thugs lunged at Leodin. Leodin raised his left axe, and as he swung it down, a jet of magic fire shot out from the lion's mouth at the back of the axe head. The blade was propelled forward, and he cut down the brigand mid-charge. The bandit cried out as the axe blade seared his flesh and he fell.
"Next?"
"Don't just stand there, dog pile him!" The chief shouted. All the brigands charged for Leodin. His axes lit up red as he prepared to swing, and then-
"Freeze Arrow!"
Leodin stared in confusion as the bandit closest to him was suddenly encased in ice. Then another, and another. He looked up to see a rain of shimmering bolts fall from the night sky, striking the earth below and leaving large chunks of ice where they landed.
The bandits began to scramble in fear, but none could escape the barrage. Leodin swung at a bolt of ice, deflecting it at the bandit chief. He cried out before he too was frozen.
Leodin was thrown off his game. What manner of sorcery was this? That's when he heard it….
"Ooohohohohoho….OOOOOhohohoho!"
A piercing laugh rang through the forest. Leodin searched the trees until he spotted the source. Standing high atop a tree branch, illuminated by the pale moon, stood a mesmerizing figure. Leodin's eyes widened in awe. It was a tall, slender, pale-skinned woman with long dark hair. Even from a distance, he could see her sharp, crystal-blue eyes glinting in the moonlight.
The most striking thing about the woman, however… was the absurd outfit she wore on her curvy body if it could even be considered real clothing. A black leather bikini with matching gloves and boots, a skull necklace and a long dark cape, a gold circlet around her head adorned with a red gem, and capped off with a pair of spiked shoulder guards and a long sword hanging off her hip.
"Lina Inverse! Come out and show yourself!" The strange woman shouted.
"Huh? Lina who?" Leodin asked aloud, brow furrowed in confusion.
"Levitation!"
The woman dressed like an evil sorceress jumped from the tree and floated down toward where Leodin and the bandit leader were. She landed and glanced at Leodin, who could only stare back, perplexed.
"Hah, missed one. Freeze Arrow!"
The sorceress raised her hands, and before Leodin knew it, the bolt hit him in the legs, encasing all but his head and right arm in ice.
"H-Hey! What the hell!?" Leodin squirmed and struggled to get free. The sorceress laughed.
"It's no use resisting. You have been bested by the great and powerful Naga the Serpent!" She revealed her name. "Now where is Lina Inverse? I heard the commotion of brigands yelling and screaming, and I knew it must be her. She can't resist raiding a bandit camp, especially one so notorious in these parts."
"There's no one called Lina here!" Leodin shouted at Naga as he flailed his free axe around. "And do I look like a bandit to you?!"
Naga leaned down and squinted at Leodin for a moment. "…well, yes, you're dressed like one, and you are a tad scruffy like one as well… but I will admit, you are cuter than most bandits I've felled, so I will spare you!"
"I'm not cute! ... and I'm NOT a bandit, damn it!" Leodin yelled in utter indignation and struggled against the ice. "I was the one who was raiding these bandits, now let me go!"
Naga ignored him and looked around the camp until she spotted the treasure chest.
"Ooooohohohoho, helloooo there…" Naga darted over to the chest and opened it. She squealed and her eyes shimmered with the reflections of the gold and jewels inside.
"Hey… hey, hey! That's mine!" Leodin tried to turn his head to look at Naga when he heard the clinking of thick gold pieces. "I need that money to get a room for the night!"
"Ohohoho, but I need it for a room to sleep in as well, and a gentleman should always acquiesce to the needs of a lady."
"RrrrrrRRRRR!" Leodin took his axe and tried to use it to break through the tough ice, which proved difficult without the use of his shoulders and hips. The best he could do was chip away at it for now.
"Ray Wing!" A gust of air blew around Naga as she lifted up the small chest. Leodin watched as she flew up toward the starry sky. "Take care of yourself, you angry little man! Ooooohohoho…"
Leodin bore his teeth and growled as he watched Naga fly away and cackle like she was some kind of witch. He had been hurting for money and this could have been a good score…
The sun shone through the window and into the room of a well-to-do inn and tavern. The establishment was situated in the middle of a merchant town and attracted many traveling adventurers and sellswords looking for work.
Naga stirred and rose from her bed, stretching her long limbs and giving a big yawn. She washed herself up, got dressed in her usual outfit, and went down to the tavern to have a hearty breakfast.
"Ah, this truly is the life," Naga said wistfully to herself after sipping her tea. "Every day a new town, new challenges, new treasures, and adventures. I wouldn't trade it for anything, would you, Lina?"
Naga stared across the table at the empty seat. She realized she was alone and sighed, picking up a leftover strip of bacon to chew on.
"Uhg, where did that bratty girl get to… it feels like it's been years and I haven't heard anything… she's obviously running from me, the cowardly lout, but I'll find her yet, and when I do… hm?"
Naga's thoughts were interrupted when the door to the tavern was roughly opened, making the bell clatter. She turned her head to see Leodin standing there, looking haggard and unkempt and extremely grumpy. It didn't take long before he noticed her at the booth and they locked eyes.
There was a tense silence for a moment. Naga quirked her eyebrow and tilted her head.
"Oh, it's the adorably angry bandit from last night."
"I told you I'm not a damn bandit!" Leodin blurted out, getting the attention of the staff and patrons. He fumed as he marched up to Naga and pointed at her. "I spent an hour freezing in ice because of you, and the rest of the night sleeping in a tree after I got out!"
"Oooohohoho!" Naga laughed as she stood to her full height, making Leodin flinch a bit. She was only about an inch or two taller than him, but her aura made her seem towering. "What's wrong, not rugged enough for a bit of camping? A truly seasoned adventurer such as I has no issues with roughing it out in the woods! Maybe you're not as tough as you seem, Cute Bandit."
Leodin became absolutely livid at her comment, red to the ears. "I'm plenty rugged enough! I've already had to camp out for the past week," he snarled. "And that bandit gold was supposed to get me my first good night's rest in a real bed in forever!"
"Well that's just too bad," Naga smirked and crossed her arms as she sat on the table. "It's a dog-eat-dog world for the life of an adventurer. You'll understand with experience, naïve one. It's nothing personal. Don't get so mad… actually, you're very cute when you're angry. Never mind, please stay mad!"
Leodin's eye twitched and his body trembled as he seethed with utmost rage that finally boiled over.
"You leather-bound clown…" he growled as his hands reached for his axes. "…you don't know a damn thing-!"
"HEY!" Shouted the barkeep, a stout, muscled woman. "No fighting in here!"
Leodin flinched and backed down, raising his hands up, not wanting to get thrown out of the establishment. Naga let out a sigh.
"If money is your issue, why not just collect the bounty on the bandit leader? I'm sure there's a price on his head."
"..." Leodin processed this a moment. "...Damn it, why didn't I just do that?! I got to get back to the bodies before the vultures eat it all!"
The blond warrior ran out of the tavern to the sound of Naga's obnoxious laughter. He spent the rest of the day trying to collect evidence for the bounty on the bandits, then bringing it back to the authorities to claim the reward.
This proved somewhat difficult and grisly, and the "evidence" he collected was already rotting and earned him a lot of frightened stares from the townsfolk. Nevertheless, he was able to collect the bounty after much trouble and earned enough to afford plenty of stays at the inn and meals.
As dusk fell, Leodin entered the tavern and looked around. There was no sign of Naga. He went up to the bar and sat down.
"Hey, where's that sorceress from this morning?" He asked the barkeep.
"The laughing one you were yelling at?" The woman asked. "She already left a while ago. You better not try causing any trouble in this establishment again, got it young man?" She gave him a stern look. Leodin nodded vigorously.
"I got it, I'm just here for some mead and some mutton, and this time I can pay," Leodin replied. The barkeep nodded back and soon handed him a plate of food and a mug of mead. He sighed as he dug in, glad to finally get a home-cooked meal and not whatever wild game he could catch. "If I ever see that Naga lady again, it'll be too soon…"
Leodin held his glowing axe aloft as he slowly trekked down the stone hallway of the musty temple. That treasure was just around the corner. He had already overcome several hazards to get to this point, including spike pits, a flooded room, and poison darts. He was ready for whatever last-second traps this place had in store.
The warrior came upon a large wooden gate. With a heave and a ho, Leodin pushed it open with his shoulder and entered the final chamber. He sighed as he gazed at the wide-open area. Upon a high altar and bathed in sunlight streaming through a window was his prize; the Star of Melkoa, an emerald the size of a monkey's skull and thought lost for hundreds of years.
"Finally…" Leodin sighed and stepped forward, but his blood ran cold when he heard an ominous laugh.
"Ooooooohohohohoho….!"
"No…no no no, Krom blasting damn it no!"
Naga flew in through the window and landed on the altar. She picked up the Star and examined it.
"Ah, the Star of Melkoa. This will fetch a high price! Ooohohoho!"
"Why are you here?!" Leodin shouted and brandish his axes, the blades' glow intensifying. Naga finally noticed him.
"Ah, you again! And still as ill-tempered I see," Naga said as she pocketed the jewel. "I'm treasure hunting of course."
"How'd you get past all the traps?"
Naga looked at the open window. "Levitation of course. Don't tell me you actually took the long way. How inefficient."
"Do I look like a sorcerer?!" Leodin stamped his foot.
"No, you still look like a cute bandit. Ray Wing!" Naga took off into the air and towards the open window. "Tata, until we meet again! Oooohohohoho!"
"Not again!" Leodin tried to run after Naga, but was stopped as the floor rumbled. Leodin looked up in shock as a massive round boulder fell from a hole in the ceiling. It smashed the altar and began to roll down the steps towards him. "...aw, come on!"
Leodin ran back towards the gateway, pursued by the boulder that seemed to have a mind of its own all the way back to the entrance….
This pattern continued for the next several weeks.
If there was a hidden treasure Leodin was hunting, Naga would nab it from under his nose. A wanted criminal, Naga claimed the bounty after he already tracked him down. A monster to be slain? Already frozen or burnt up by the time he got there, and the best he could do was pick up the scraps to get by. It seemed that everywhere Leodin traveled, Naga was always right around the corner to ruin his day.
The blond warrior guzzled down his mead as he sat alone at a table in a much seedier tavern. The food and drinks were cheap and bland, and the atmosphere was uninviting, but it was all he could afford.
"Hey, where are we supposed to meet again?"
Leodin's ears perked. He glanced aside to see two men wearing black leather armor enter the tavern. As they passed him by, he could see a symbol in red on their backs; an eye with a scar over it. Leodin's heart began to race, but he kept his cool and kept his eyes on his food as he listened.
"The foot of the tallest mountain, the west side," said the other man. "It's at dawn, so don't sleep in or it'll be your scalp getting cut instead of your pay this time."
"Yeah, I'll be there, jeez…"
Leodin's body was trembling as he forked a piece of tough pork and brought it to his mouth. He finally had a lead, and just maybe he'd finally find that man…
It was the crack of dawn. Leodin had slept early and was now stealthily making his way through the forest toward the foot of the tallest mountain. His adrenaline was already pumping as he kept his eyes out for any signs of movement. He could not afford to miss his chance.
Leodin came to a tall tree and lept for its trunk, quickly scaling up towards the top to get a better view. He could see the mountain ahead, steep and craggy, and he looked down towards the foot. He found what he was looking for; a camp of rough-looking men and women, all dressed differently but with the same red symbol of a scarred eye painted on their backs.
They were camped out in front of a massive stone door with runes carved in the front. Leodin watched as several of them began pushing the door. They were having little luck…until one very tall, very muscular figure approached. Leodin felt a chill run down his spine, and yet his blood ran hot as he watched this mountain of a man place his hands on the stone door and push it open himself with little effort.
"Grohl…" Leodin whispered as he clenched his teeth and his fists as he watched the man enter through the doorway.
"Who's that?" Naga asked.
"He's the bastard who-" Leodin was about to say. He jumped in fright, nearly falling out of the tree as he looked to his side to see Naga perched on the branch with him, casually licking a fish-shaped lollipop. "What the Hell are you doing here?!"
"Ohohoho, I heard rumors there was another dangerous group of bandits in the area up to something, and I just had to check it out for myself," Naga smirked at him. "But just like before, instead of finding Lina, I found you here, Cute Bandit." She blinked in surprise as Leodin pulled out his axes and brandished them at her.
"No, not this time," he whispered angrily, glaring daggers at her. "You've gotten in my way and been a thorn in my side for weeks, but you are NOT screwing THIS up for me, not now! So butt the hell out or I will chop you down to size."
Without another word, Leodin jumped from the tree branch and used his axes to swing from a lower branch back to the ground, where he hit the ground running. He could not let Grohl get away, not after so many years of training and months of hunting him down…
Naga watched Leodin run for the mountain, smirking and intrigued by his reaction.
"Ohohohoho…" She finished her lollipop and discarded the wooden stick. "There must be something very valuable in there, or that Grohl person must have a very high price. Well, the great Naga the Serpent isn't about to be told to butt out! Ohohohoho! Levitation!"
It took some time to reach the campsite, but Leodin made it without being seen. These were not the average bandits, these were warriors, well-equipped and trained. He did not know if he could afford a drawn-out battle against all of them, or if he could win even with his axes and his training. Even if he did, he'd be in no shape to face Grohl. He had to get in unseen, but how…
"Oooooohohohohohoho!"
Leodin shuddered when he heard the laugh, and he looked skyward to see Naga flying towards the camp in broad daylight, instantly attracting the attention of everyone.
"Freeze Bullet!" Naga cried out as she descended. A ball of blue light shot from her palms and landed in the middle of the group, freezing several of them in much the same way as the arrows from the previous bandit camp. The warriors all began to scramble and call out orders, much more organized than the average brigand.
"We've got a sorceress! Archers, go!" One of them called out, and soon after a group of four warriors wielding bows and arrows took aim at Naga and fired.
"AH! Air Valm!" Naga shouted and threw her hands forward. A shield of wind appeared in front of her, knocking the arrows off course. "Ray Wing!" Naga took off into the air as more arrows were shot. She twisted and rolled in the air as best as she could to avoid the attacks. "Ohohohoho!"
Leodin watched as the chaos unfolded, but soon realized that the entrance was left unguarded. Maybe Naga was useful after all as a distraction. Seeing his chance, he bolted for the entrance as fast as he could, darting around the warriors who were too focused on the laughing sorceress flying above them.
As he approached the entrance, he could see runes scrawled upon the frame and intricate patterns carved into it.
"That's Dwarvish…" Leodin said as he tried to read them. He was rusty, however, and didn't have time. Leodin made it through the entrance and ran down the dark tunnel, pulling out an axe and willing it to glow so he could see ahead. Naga meanwhile noticed the blond warrior running inside from up above.
"Oh no you don't, that treasure is mine, Cute Bandit!" Naga did a loop and dived low before flying straight for the tunnel entrance, narrowly dodging the arrows and swinging blades. As soon as she was through, she faced the entrance and did a quick incantation."Dil Brand!"
Naga pointed her palms up at the ceiling and the rocks began to glow red. Before anyone could follow her in, the ceiling exploded and the rocks fell, blocking the entrance. "Oooohohohoho, let's see them get through that! Lighting!" A ball of light emerged from Naga's hand. Now safe, Naga ran down the stone tunnel after Leodin, laughing all the way…
Leodin flinched when he heard Naga's distinctive laughter echo through the tunnels. "Nooooooo….." He came to a fork in the tunnel with a sign written with Dwarvish runes. He held his glowing axe aloft to get a better view. "Let's see… left is a dead end, right is right this way!" He went to the right and picked up the pace.
Not a minute later, Naga came upon the same fork and stopped to check the sign.
"Hmm, where to go….eerie, meanie, miney, money!" She pointed to the left and began running that way. It wasn't long before she came to a brick walk with no way forward. "Oh, so that's how it's going to be? Very well then, Bephis Bring!" Naga placed her hands on the wall, and in a moment the stone bricks turned to dust, and a new tunnel was made. "Oooohohoho, how trivial!"
Naga continued through the underground tunnels. If it was meant to be a maze, the architect did not account for Earth shamanism.
After several minutes of creating shortcuts, Naga finally arrived at what appeared to be the main chamber. It was large and spherical, lit by glowing blue runes all around the walls. There was a platform in the center accessible by long bridges that connected to several other doorways around the perimeter.
As Naga walked over the bridge, she saw what appeared to be a dais with two protruding handles and a tall stone case before it. On the case was a symbol of what looked to be the face of a demonic beast. Naga examined them for a moment, trying to deduce their function.
"Well this is an interesting contraption," Naga whispered, looking between the dais and the casing. The two handles protruding from the dais seemed to be made from gold, but Naga sensed something from them, a kind of ancient magic. "Hmm…well, nothing ventured, nothing gained as I always say. Let's see if this works…"
Naga cracked her knuckles and grabbed ahold of the handles. Nothing happened for a moment as she pulled. They did not budge.
"Come on, how is this supposed to work…AGH!"
Naga gasped as she felt electricity surge through her arms and her body, paralyzing her on the spot. The pain was mild, but she could feel her magic being drained and she could not let go. The symbol on the stone case glowed and rumbled.
"Well, isn't this a surprise…" came a voice and a tapping. Naga could only glance to the side as she was held in place. Out from one of the tunnels stepped a massive, imposing figure, wielding a halberd, clad in plates of dark steel and black furs with a bear skin cape upon which was the symbol worn by the warriors from outside.
He had a head full of thick, shaggy, dark brown hair with streaks of white at the sides. His features were broad and angular, with a square jaw, block nose, and wide chin. The man gave a toothy grin as he gazed at the helpless sorceress with one good eye, red as blood. The other, his right eye, was grey and mutilated and had a long scar cut across it from forehead to cheek.
"I was worried that this relic was booby-trapped. Lucky me, a couple of big ones came along to trigger it," He chuckled at his tactless joke as he walked up to Naga, leaning uncomfortably close to her, and looking into her wide, frightened eyes. All she could do was look back at him, her fear growing.
"I was told a great amount of magical energy was the key. Thought I'd secure the ruins first and figure out the key part later but from the looks of things…" He glanced at the stone case and the glowing demonic symbol. "You've taken care of that for me, long-tall sorceress. Just stay put…"
Leodin followed the signs through the maze of tunnels. He had to catch up before Grohl got away, and he needed to stay ahead of Naga, though oddly enough, he no longer heard her laugh, or the small earthquakes that she seemed to leave in her wake.
Leodin chased those thoughts from his mind. Grohl was near, he knew it, and he would settle the score…
Naga and the fur-clad warrior watched as the stone case slowly slid open and an ominous red light poured from within. He shielded his eyes and marveled at what he saw; a massive bardiche with a demonic motif, made of rare scarlet steel and onyx black metals, with a red gem inserted into the head that seemed to pulsate with evil energy.
Once the case was fully opened, Naga was finally freed, the current of electricity ceasing, but with all her strength and energy drained, she collapsed to the floor. Naga looked up as she saw the giant of a man drop his halberd and take hold of the new weapon, crackling with eldritch power.
"It's just as was foretold…" He said as he felt the power surge through him. "...I'll be unstoppable…."
"GROHL!"
The one-eyed man turned around. Naga turned her head to see Leodin standing at an entrance, both axes brandished, the lion heads spitting fire, fury in his eyes.
"And who's this now…?" Grohl asked, unphased but curious. "Not one of mine…"
"Oh, I was one of yours…" Leodin growled as he marched across the bridge. "I was one of your first…don't remember?! IT'S LEODIN!" He ran at Grohl as swift as the wind and leapt into the air.
Leodin's axes roared as he raised them over his head and swung down, propelling him into a forward flip and spinning him in the air like a fiery buzz saw at Grohl. The larger man was surprised but held his ground and swung the demonic bardiche up to block.
Leodin's attack bounced off, and he landed on his feet near Naga and the dais. He looked down at the sorceress, wondering what had happened for only a moment before turning back to his opponent. Grohl chuckled as he rested his long weapon on his shoulder.
"To think you actually survived. Guess you were tougher than you looked," Grohl sneered and pointed his blade. "...but you're still a runt…"
Naga could barely push herself up, her arms weak and wobbly. She tried to muster her strength for a spell, but she was completely drained. The sorceress silently cursed her recklessness, imagining the sort of scolding Lina would have given her if she were here. If Lina were here, she could take care of this adversary, but the only one here now was the scruffy young warrior who only held her in contempt…
Leodin took a stance, right axe over his shoulder and the other held at his right side as he stared down Grohl. He had imagined this moment for years, and it was finally happening. The only difference was he never imagined Grohl having what looked to be some sort of magic weapon, not to mention the annoying sorceress. It did not matter, he would have his vengeance here and now.
Like a bolt of lightning, Leodin sprinted for Grohl once more, his axes propelled by magic fire, turning into a whirl of blades. He spun at Grohl with a fierce cry, striking furiously with all his speed, but Grohl held his ground, blocking each attack with the broad side of the bardiche's blade. He saw an opening and shoved Leodin away with the shaft. Leodin stumbled a moment, but pressed the attack, striking at Grohl at every possible angle.
Finally, Leodin landed a hit as his left axe grazed Grohl's thigh. It was a small cut, but Leodin was glad for it. This satisfaction did not last long as Grohl quickly smacked Leodin away with the flat of his blade. The blond warrior saw stars as he stumbled back, but he shook it off and took his stance once more. Grohl sighed with annoyance as he looked between Leodin and Naga.
"This is a waste of my time…" Grohl said as his bardiche charged with energy. "I might as well use this as an opportunity to test my new blade…" He pointed the bardiche at Leodin, then tilted it up towards the ceiling. With a smirk, Grohl fired off a blast of demonic magic, shattering the stones above. Leodin gasped and jumped back to avoid the falling boulders.
It did not stop there; Grohl charged his bardiche and fired another blast at one of the bridges, then another, and another. He fired at all but the bridge behind him, destroying the other means of escape. For good measure, he charged his weapon to full power and fired off a stream of energy, blasting apart the ceiling and causing a cave-in.
"Not bad…" Grohl grinned and nodded to Leodin. "It was nice catching up, runt. Hope you and the floozy enjoy your new tomb together." Grohl turned and ran for the exit, disappearing into the tunnel.
"You rotten piece of scum, get back here!" Leodin shouted as the place crumbled around him. He ran after Grohl, dodging the falling stones towards the bridge. He was fast, he knew he could catch up, he knew he could get Grohl in the back. There was no telling when he'd get another chance if he didn't. It had to be now! IT HAD TO-
"Please…"
Leodin stopped when he heard the voice behind him. He turned around to see Naga still at the dais, reaching out towards him with eyes that pleaded for him not to go. His heart raced, and he began to panic, soul tearing in two.
You don't owe her, she's been nothing but trouble, she's just a weirdo who's only gotten in your way. Just leave her, let her…let her d…d….
For a moment Leodin was frozen in place as a painful memory filled his mind…
…he clenched his axes, and with a cry of anger, he rushed back towards Naga. With a swing of both blades, he knocked away and shattered a boulder before it could fall on Naga.
"Damn it damn it DAMN IT!" Leodin cured as he holstered his axes and got Naga to her feet, slinging her arm around his shoulders. He looked behind to see a huge boulder smash into the last bridge. "Tell me you can fly…"
Naga could only shake her head as she leaned against him. Leodin grit his teeth as he tried to think of something. He then heard a splash, and the sloshing and spray of water. He brought Naga over to the edge of the platform and looked down. Squinting, he could just make out a body of water below in the darkness.
"Some kind of moat?" Leodin wondered. He had little time to think as another boulder smashed the opposite end of the platform. There was a crack and a rumble as the floor began to tilt. "Oh come on..Alright, hang on!"
Naga felt herself lift off the floor. She gasped as Leodin picked her up in his arms and jumped over the edge, the two of them falling toward the water below. Naga squeezed her eyes shut and felt the cold water hit them. She held her breath as long as she could. All she could see was darkness, and all she could hear was the rushing water and the sound of the earth crumbling. It felt like an eternity of waiting before she finally felt the cold air and took a breath.
The sorceress opened her eyes to find herself floating, being held onto by Leodin as he tried to swim them to safety through the darkness. Another boulder hit the water, and the two cried out as a wave pushed them further ahead and nearly submerged them.
Leodin tried his best to keep them both above the surface as he felt for some kind of exit along the walls until he finally found what seemed to be a tunnel and a current. He swam into the current, and not a moment after they were through a boulder fell behind them and blocked the opening. Leodin kept swimming until he felt the water become shallow. He found a set of carved stone steps and dragged himself and Naga onto a cave floor.
Naga felt Leodin set her down and she sat up weakly, catching her breath. They were both soaked to the bone. There was a light, and Naga looked up to see Leodin holding up his axe, glowing red and illuminating the area. They seemed to be in an underground waterway, as luck would have it. Naga sighed with relief but soon noticed the death glare Leodin was giving her. She stared back, biting her lip nervously, wondering what he would do.
Leodin's body trembled as he looked at her. For a long moment, he was silent, until he let out a scream of anger and frustration. He walked over to the nearest wall and struck it with his axe, water droplets and shards of stone flying off.
"Why?! WHY?!" He shouted, his face noticeably red even in the glow. "Why the hell did I come back for you, you stupid, annoying good-for-nothing pain in my ass!" Naga winced at his words but said nothing, his back turned to her as he took out his other axe and attacked the wall, his screams growing louder and echoing.
"I HAD HIM I could have finished him! I could have caught up to him and killed that ugly bastard!" Leodin cried, his voice echoing, tears streaming down his cheek. "It would have been over! And now I'm stuck here with you, I'm going to die down here with you, and I'll have nothing to show for any of this!"
His words become mixed with his screams, incomprehensible as he vented everything out. Naga silently watched him, somewhat afraid but also feeling pity for Leodin, even if she did not fully understand what was going on with him. Leodin began to tire after carving a shallow hole in the wall, and soon he fell to his knees among the rubble her made, panting, eyes wet and face red, and on the verge of sobbing over everything he had wasted.
"...Leodin…" Naga called out softly. He turned to look at her, his eyes no longer full of hatred but exhaustion. Her own eyes were gentle as she gazed back at him. "...thank you for not leaving me…"
Leodin stared back at her silently for a moment, and simply could not muster any more anger. He gave a long sigh and hung his head. "...so now what?"
"Now we find a way out," Naga replied as she slowly got to her feet. "I don't think we're stuck. These tunnels were man-made, and there should be an exit."
"Dwarven made."
"Huh?"
"These ruins were made by Dwarves, you can tell by the runes," Leodin got back up and walked over to Naga. "These tunnels could just go deeper and deeper. We could just get even more lost…" He shined his axe ahead to reveal another tunnel through a stone arch. "...then again, I guess we don't have any choice…why can't you just magic us out? You've never had a problem just swooping in and out of a ruin."
"That altar sucked out all my magic when I touched it," Naga said, feeling a twinge of shame. "I'll need time to gain my strength back before I can do anything powerful. Otherwise, I'd just tunnel back out."
"Great," Leodin scoffed as he walked towards the tunnel. "It figures that you'd be useless when I get stuck with you. Come on, let's not waste time." He walked ahead, leading the way, Naga following behind as best she could. He walked at a brisk pace while Naga struggled to keep up.
"Not so fast, I'm still a little wobbly," Naga whined. "Don't get separated."
Leodin let out a sigh as he stopped and let Naga catch up. "Fine. I don't trust you being out of my sight anyway." They continued side by side, Leodin glancing suspiciously at Naga. She noticed this and gave him a little smirk. "Like what you see?"
"Shut it," Leodin snapped. "I'm just making sure you don't try anything funny or ditch me or stab me in the back!"
"Why would I do such a thing? I have more honor than that."
"Yeah right. All you've done is undermine me for weeks," Leodin scoffed. "Snatching all the treasures and bounties right out from under me after I do all the hard work."
"You're still mad about that?" Naga asked with a raised eyebrow. "It's nothing personal, just a part of having competition."
"Well this WAS personal," Leodin seethed. "It was very personal…" He was silent for a moment. Naga noticed how Leodin's mind seemed to be somewhere else and she cleared her throat.
"Do you have some kind of history with that big warrior?" She asked, snapping him back. "Grohl, was it?"
"Yeah…" Leodin answered. "He betrayed me, and I want revenge, simple as that."
"Revenge is hardly simple," Naga said with a wag of her finger. "Were you part of his band of warriors? Did he sell you out? Steal your cut of the treasure? Or maybe stole your one true love?" She wiggled her eyebrows. Leodin was not amused.
"He turned on me and left me for dead. That's all you need to know," Leodin answered bluntly. "We should just focus on getting out of here."
"Very well…" Naga and Leodin walked silently through the tunnel. She hummed quietly to herself but said nothing. The longer the silence lasted, the more awkward it grew. It became too much to bear, but Leodin was the first to speak.
"Why were you there anyway?" He asked, keeping his eyes ahead. "Were you following me?"
"Mmmaybe," Naga answered coyly. "You do have a knack for finding trouble, and where there's trouble, Lina Inverse is sure to be close by!"
"Just who the hell is Lina Inverse?"
"You really don't know?" Naga asked. Leodin shook his head. "The Dragon Spooker? Bandit Killer? Lina the Pink?" He gave her a blank stare. "The Enemy of All Who Live? Little Flatty Flat Chest?"
"You're making this up!"
"It's true!" Naga protested. "Lina Inverse is one of the most powerful and infamous sorceresses in the world, only second to yours truly, her greatest rival, Naga the Serpent!" She puffed her chest out proudly. "I am on a quest to defeat her once and for all and prove who the strongest sorceress truly is!"
"Yeah, good luck with that," Leodin rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a dumb reason to be hunting someone down…"
"Is it really any worse than revenge?" Naga asked. Leodin narrowed his eyes at her. She gave him an innocent smile. "You know, if it's been so much trouble for you, maybe I could lend you a hand?"
"What?" Leodin furrowed his brow at her. "Why would I want your help?"
"Well for one, you wouldn't have to worry about me stealing all the treasure from under your nose," Naga replied with a wink. "Second, you would be traveling companions with the almighty and beautiful Naga the Serpent! Your reputation is sure to increase."
"Oh please," Leodin groaned. "Grohl is who I'm after. I'm just adventuring to get by."
"Well, I am a seasoned adventurer myself and can definitely help you," Naga crossed her arms. "You look like you could use the help."
"And what exactly would you get out of this?"
"Like I said, where there's trouble Lina is sure to follow," Naga stated. "This Grohl character looks to be quite the powerful threat, a bounty which I'd bet everything Lina will go after. If we hunt down Grohl, we're bound to run into Lina too."
"I see…" Leodin said with some doubt, but he did not outright dismiss her words. "I'll think about it…"
The warriors outside the entrance were still trying to clear the rubble when a red light beamed through the cracks. They were sent tumbling back when the boulders were blasted away and Grohl came stepping through, bardiche in hand. He glanced around at them all, noting the chunks of ice and overall disarray.
"Someone want to tell me what the hell happened?" Grohl said loudly. He was approached by a tall, thin archer with black hair tied back into a wolf's tail. He had chalky skin and golden eyes.
"We were ambushed by a sorceress," said the archer, his voice hoarse and cold. "Loud, scantily clad. I have a feeling you might have run into her."
"As a matter of fact I did, Vulk," Grohl replied. "I'm shocked you didn't shoot her down. Your aim getting sloppy?"
"Tch, I was still getting supplies when I heard the ruckus," Vulk answered. "And I thought I trained these layabouts better…"
"Actually, I'm glad you didn't kill her," Grohl said as he held up the weapon, the red gem glowing. "Without her little contribution, I might not have this."
Vulk's eyes widened as he stared at the bardiche. "So, that's the one?"
"Yeah…Amragog's Spite…" Grohl smirked. "Looks like our friend was right. Oh, you'll never guess who else I saw there. That little bastard Leodin!"
"What? The kid?" Vulk asked. "He's alive?"
"Not anymore he isn't," Grohl said as he holstered his weapon and walked forward. "I wrecked the tunnels. Neither he nor that magic bimbo is getting out."
"This was supposed to be our new base, Grohl," Vulk sighed as he walked alongside his commander. "We brought all our things here for nothing."
"Relax, the weapon is what's important," Grohl patted Vulk's back. "We'll get something a lot cozier than a hole in the ground with this power…"
Naga and Leodin continued on through the tunnels for what felt like hours. They would come to the occasional fork or chamber, but there was nothing of real interest. It was as though the entire complex had been abandoned, with everything either taken or already crumbled into dust. Leodin was beginning to lose hope until he felt a soft, cool breeze. He squinted and looked ahead to see the dimmest sliver of light.
"Ooooohohoho! An exit!" Naga shouted and jogged ahead.
"Hey, I thought you were supposed to be weakened!" Leodin shouted after her as she ran behind.
"Well, I just got a second wind!" She yelled back. They ran through the tunnel until they came upon a large stone gateway, similar to the one they entered before. It was also shut tight, with only one little ray of light peeking through the crack. Leodin walked up to it and tried to push it open but to no avail.
"Nng! Come one, budge!" He grumbled and tried with all his might to push, but it would not budge. He strained and strained until his muscles gave out and he slid onto the floor, exhausted. "Damn it, if I were stronger…" He hung his head, feeling helpless. He wondered what he was going to do now, wondered if he could use anything to pry the stone door open when he heard a soft hum. Leodin looked up and saw Naga holding her hands in front of her chest, a ball of blue magic between them.
"Leodin, get out of the way!" Naga shouted with a grin. "I've got my magic back!"
Leodin's eyes went wide, and he quickly scrambled to the side as Naga extended her arms.
"Damu Brass!"
The magic shot from her hands and struck the stone door, exploding and penetrating through. Leodin shielded his eyes and coughed out the dust. When it settled, he opened his eyes to see light from the outside shining through.
"Ooooohohohoho!" Naga laughed as she stepped through the hole. "Such an obstacle is child's play for Naga the Serpent!" She stretched and grinned back at Leodin. "Mmm, breathe in that fresh, mountain air!"
Leodin stared back at her as she stood just outside the hole, silhouetted by the light. His mouth hung slightly open and he thought about what Naga had proposed earlier.
"So, are you coming?" Naga asked with her hands on her hips. Leodin gave her a discerning look, then nodded as he stepped through the hole to join her.
"Yeah...I am…" He looked around the outside. It was a much more densely forested area, and the outside gate was covered in moss. "Guess this was a hidden entrance…" He gazed further out at their surroundings.
They were a little higher up, and it became clear that they had walked straight under the mountain to the other side. In the distance, he could see a town nestled in the valley as the sun set, making the sky turn orange and violet.
"It's a lovely view, isn't it?" Naga asked him. He blinked and glanced at her, and for a moment she seemed completely sincere. Leodin nodded and faced the valley once more.
"It is. Come on, let's get to that town," He motioned for her to follow. "We'll get some food, some shelter, and maybe a hot bath."
"I'll race you!" Naga shouted as she ran ahead of him. Leodin was taken aback as he watched her run down the mountain. "Loser has to buy dinner!"
"Hey, hold on!" Leodin shouted as he ran after. "I did not agree to that! Were you faking being weakened this whole time?" They ran towards town as the stars emerged in the sky above. "Wait up!"
Author's Note
Well there you have it. The first fic I've started in a while, and this one I hope to actually continue with. I want it to be a long fic like I did with White Knight, Red Queen. I still haven't forgotten that one, but I just haven't been too inspired lately. What I have been inspired by though is Slayers and my love for Naga. I have my story all plotted out, so hopefully I'll have the drive to finish this.
This story is also partially spun from an original story I had in mind that just never really came together. I had trouble with the plotting, and while I loved the concepts I made, ultimately I just want to get it out without having to worry so much about worldbuilding and logistics. Leodin himself is based on the main character from that idea, and the other main character I had made was very much inspired by Naga anyway.
I tried to design Leodin as something unique to the Slayers cast while also fitting into the setting. A scrappy warrior with a more Celtic/Gallic influence, with maybe a hint of Norse.
As for fighting style, visually I'm basing it off of both the Dual Blades from Monster Hunter and the Berzerker from For Honor. I'll try to get a sketch made up and posted here, but he's an OC I've put a lot of time into imagining and effort into his personality, appearance and backstory, so I hope you like him.
I have a sketch of him posted here: captain-azoren/717768806800490496/my-oc-leodin-made-for-my-upcoming-slayers-fic?source=share
Anyway, please read and review. I have a lot of ideas for this story, with plenty of comedy and drama like any good Slayers story should. See you next time.